We meet with Harriet hoping for news about Milo's whereabouts. Her greeing was serious.

"Hello friends. We have a very serious mission. This involves the one named Milo."

"Hmmm," Skeptamystic said thoughtfully.

"Are we going to be saving Milo?" I asked.

"Yes!" Harriet exclaimed. "The Pierces weren't able to fill their order at the Kings Fall Feast because of it."

Several of us nodded. "He has joined a cult...going to be hard to get him out."

Harriet frowned. "Tell me more, what do we know so far?"

I told her what we had learned. "There is a strange cult that has formed calling themselves the Church of Spirituality. They seem to based out of Nu'Jelm."

"You can check in, but you can never leave...uo oh." Amethyst added.

We finally found the cult leader at the Spirituality Shrine. " I shook my head, "She had the never to ask us to join."

"Wow!" Amethyst gasped.

Demoss laughed. "Oh snap."

Harriet frowned "Spirituality, Seems like a .... uh....deceptive name for such an evil sounding group."

I nodded. "Aye."

"I wonder if they did that just to sound honorable or if there is more to it." Harriet mused. "Perhaps we should head over to the Pierces and see if there are any new facts. I will gate us from outside."

"Good idea." I stood up to follower her.

Cathy Earnshaw nodded , "Aye."

"Sounds good to me." Vixen Sonoma agree and joined us.

Arriving at the Nu'Jelm bakery, we found Mr. Pierce the Baker pacing his shop.

Harriet approached Mr. Pierce. "Mr. Pierce how is Milo?"

"He's still out there in some sort of trance." Mr. Pierce sighed.

"Still in a trance?" Harriet asked puzzled.

"Yes, people have been out there, guards, even healers but he won't stop!" Mr. Pierce explained.

"What is it he won't stop?" Harriet asked. Though Mr. Pierce didn't explain, I remembered the cultist chanting when we found them.

Mr. Pierce the Baker continued, "I would appreciate any help that you could give."

Outside the shop, Harriet called us over," Alright everyone should we check on Milo?"

Our shouts of Yes filled the air.

​

"Let us go see what answers I may be able to get from him!" using the rune Harriet opened a gate.

We arrived at the graveyard only to find Milo was gone. While searching for him, we found a young boy.

​

"Milo?" Vixen Sonoma said?

Cathy Earnshaw asked him. "Your Name Milo?"

The peasant boy shook his head. "You all lookin fer Milo?"

"Yes, do you know where he is?" I asked. "His father sent us."

The boy looked around nervously. " I..I am a mate of his and I been watchin from afar."

"Ah what did you noticed?" I urged.

​

"Hum was she wearing a strange bluish/black robe?" I remembering the cult leader's robe.​

"Yes!!" He shouted. "I have to admit I am afraid. If I tell you alls you won't get me in any troubles will ye?"

"I know who she is. You won't get into trouble. We are from the King." I assured.

Vixen Sonoma smiled at the boy "No worries."

"She had guards with her too...something she referred to as "feather guard." Worried he looked around pointing at the birds. "Is why all these birds are up in here now."

​

Several of us had noticed all the birds and remarked on about it. "We wondered about that."

Vixen Sonoma prepared his dragon to attack, "Should we take the birds out?"

"I heard what she say. She's not too smart sir. "Milo shrugged. "I kin take you all the way but I don't wanna end up like Milo. He was all just starin straight ahead."

Milo studied us. "You all will protect me? I am not a fighter."

Cathy Earnshaw nodded "Aye."

"Thank you," I patted his shoulder. "We will keep you safe, just stay close.

The boy smiled in relief. "I take lessons on chocolate makin from Milo's dad. He's got some real fancy chocolate." he sighed, Sorry I don't gues that matters."

I smiled at the peasant boy. Perhaps we can get some chocolate to reward you."

"Will you please help get my friend ." The peasant boy implored us. "And maybe even kill the lady creature that took him."

"That is the plan and the guard also." I told him. "Lead the way."

​

He looked to see if everyone heard. "You all hear that? I know a short cut."​

"Yep, Yep lead on." Faustus replied.

Vixen Sonoma and Cathy Earnshaw nodded. "Aye, Lead on."

"First We gotta go to Spirit shrine but not the one in this world...Spirit shrine in Ilshena." The boy informed us. "I got a teleport for you. Follow me."

"Ok." Cathy Earnshaw stepped on the teleport and disappeared.

Laughing Demoss followed.

On the other side people started to move down the canyon. Milo shouted to stop them "Don't run off! I got another short cut."

"Love some short cuts." Cathy Earnshaw commented.

"Me an Milow know all the short cuts. "The boy said with pride. Wd sometimes go this way to go fishin and sometimes we go bird shootin." He walked at little ways down. "That is how we found this last spot...watch this you all!! I kin make it go faster.

We moved closer to see what he was going to do.

Looking seriously at us he paused. "But Listen it's scary. There are monsters out here. I guess you all know that. You all are so brave. "

I shivered at the mention of monsters.

The peasant boy pointed at something, "See this?"

Most of us shook our heads unable to see what he was pointing at.
The boy looked at the huge dragon by the canyon wall. "Scuse me sir, can you move your dragon?" Once the dragon moved he went up to a boulder. "See this boulder? This boulder is loose. When I move it you all sneak in...ok?"

Demoss and Ronan laughed. "Okay."

"Awesome." Cathy Earnshaw cheered.

"Sneak!" StinkyPinky disappeared.

​

"I will stay here to put the boulder back." The peasant boy stepped away from the boulder.​

We found ourselves in a small dark passage... the dragons barely able to move.

At last we entered an open field. Looking around I saw we were outside the harpy's nest.

An ornithologist came running out. "A murderer! Hey are killing people here! "Tis awful! Help where are the guards."

Calming him down, he told us that a strange lady had left a boy. "The boy just stands there counting feathers. It was like he didn't even know I was there."

I snuck in to see who the boy was...it was Milo. But the nest was more than just harpies.

Back outside I shared the news. " I found Milo, he is entranced still. We are not just facing harpies but I saw a phoenixes also.

Carefully we went inside. "Milo!" Skeptamystic shouted at him." But Milo continued to collect feathers as if nothing else was happening.

"Alright! Milo." I heard the peasant boy shout. Looking around I was surprised to see us on a ledge above us.

​

"MILO BUDDY!! THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE TO SAVE YOU!!" he shouted down.

Milo continued to collect feathers. I grabbed his hand to stop him, but it didn't work. Then I heard shouting and the sounds of battle from behind me.
Quickly turning around I saw that a guardian of the Feather Queen had appeared.

​

"Yep! Trap!" Vixen Sonoma called out and the world went grey. All around were people surprised by their sudden deaths.
​

​

In mass we ran to the healers outside, then returned to the nest for pay back. Waiting were followers of the Feather Queen.

​

​

​

At last the followers were defeated. We were barely able to regroup before another wave of attackers appeared...The Converted Featherguard.

​

​

​

​

​

​

To our horror one of the Featherguard had attacked the healers. A small group of us rushed to them.

​

The healers safe, we returned to the main battle where another enemy had appeared...Xania The Feather Queen. From a ledge out of our reach, she was directing her converted and Genetically Altered Stone Harpies in battle.
​

​

​

​

With a poisonous blast, the queen at last joined the battle.

​

​

The queen defeated, I looked for Milo. He was gone. I could only hope that he had been freed to return home. Going to see. I felt something dripping down my leg. I checked my pack. My last bottle of wine was broke. Oh well, until changing and replacing my wine, checking would have to wait. After all what was a sample of Mr. Pierce's wonderful chocolate without a fine red wine.

Stratics is the oldest continually running MMORPG Fansite on the Internet. Founded in 1997 Stratics has served the Ultima Online Community for 18 years. We strive to provide the most complete social experience for Ultima Online players.